Corset.



No. 878,351. PATENTED FEB. 4, 1908.

LUDHEN. CORSET.

APPLlGATION IiLED AUG. 20. 1907.

WITNESSES:

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JOSEPH COHEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CORSET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 4, 1908.

Application filed August 20, 1907- Serial No. 389.372-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH COHEN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Corsets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in corsets, and has particular relation to the manner in which the front thereof is arranged.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a corset in which the front portion is substantially flexible, and so formed as to be capable of being fastened adjustably in order that the desired shape can be given to the front.

Another object is the provision of a corset in which the usual steel stays are omitted at the front.

Other and further objects will appear as the invention is hereinafter disclosed.

To these and other ends, the nature of which will be hereinafter fully set forth, my invention consists in the improved construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, in which similar reference characters indicate similar parts in each of the views,-Figure 1 is a front elevation showing a corset the front of which is arranged in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view showing so much of the front of the corset as is required to illustrate one of the fastenings on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Corsets, as generally constructed, have their front meeting edges provided with steel stays carrying complemental fastening members which are adapted to be secured together, thereby making the front nonadjust able, the stays being originally formed with a predetermined shape which is not intended to be varied to any material extent either when in use or otherwise. As a result the wearer is forced to withstand the pressure exerted by the positioned corset during the entire period of time the corset is on the body, the only possible relief being the re moval of the corset, the manner of securing the stays together preventing even a release of part of the fastening members.

Attempts have heretofore been made to form obviate the objections to the stay corset,

some of which contemplate the spacing of the stays and connecting them by elastic straps which would be yieldable under pressure, but such constructions are objectionable in that the stays being of predetermined shape and initially formed to lit certain portions of the body, such yielding movement tends to displace the stays from their normal positions and place them in position on the body at points which are undesirable and which therefore become exceedingly uncomfortable to the wearer. In addition, the constant change in position or displacement of the stays, owing to the variations in pressure placed on the yielding fastenings, is decidedly uncomfortable as well as non-conducive to the obtaining of the desired form by the wearer. And obviously, the use of the yielding fastenings does not permit of a fixed adj ustment of the parts to produce such desired In some cases, the use of the steel stays is entirely dispensed with, dependence being placed on the use of bands passing entirely around the corset, the front of the bands extending substantially throughout the length of the front of the corset, or arranged vice versa, with the wide portion of the band at the back, the narrow portion of the strap extending over the front of a separate corset member. pressure of the corset at the front cannot be adjusted at points intermediate the upper and lower edges of the corset, The corset herein presented is intended to overcome these various disadvantages by providing a corset which, while omitting the usual steel stays at the front, does not prevent the application of a fixed and unyielding pressure therea-t, the pressure, however, being controllable by the wearer, and being capable of being adjusted at various points intermediate the upper and lower edges of the corset. Furthermore, if desired, the rear of the corset may be of a fixed shape (undivided at the back), the adjustment and fastening being entirely at the front. In obtaining this result, the parts are so arranged that there is no tendency of the forming of ridges or wrinkles in the corset, nor is there any liability of the fastening means passing into contact with the apparel covered by the corset, the construction by which this latter result is obtained also tending to prevent the fastening members from being subject to excessive perspiration so as to cause In such cases, the

spaced from each other,

a rusting of the members, but if such rusting takes place, the members are retained out of contact with the inner apparel, as heretofore pointed out.

In producing a corset embodying my invention, I provide the body of the corset (the sides and back) either of the usual construction or with an undivided back, this portion being of any preferred form. This portion of the corset is designated as 10 in the drawings. Instead, however, of continuing the side portions forwardly to such an extent. as to permit them to meet and thereby form a front, 1 form the front portion providing a seam 11 at a point spaced from the usual front line or meeting point, the remainder of the front being of flexible material and of a length to provide overlapping portions when the two portions are placed in position, said overlapping portions being designated as 12 and 13 respectively. The seams may or may not be provided with steel or bone stiffening devices, or they may be corded, if desired. The flexible portion 12 is preferably of a greater width than the portion 13, the latter forming the outer or overlapping portion of the flexible front. If desired, the flexible portions may be provided with a stiffening means, such as bone or cording, as indicated at 14, this construction tending to prevent a wrinkling of such flexible portion either while the corset is being placed in position or when being worn.

Connected to the corset at the point where the seam 11 of that side having the flexible portion 12 is located, are a series of straps 15, said straps being secured in suitable manner, such, for instance, as shown in Fig. 3, and are adapted to extend over the outer face of the front. The straps may be of suitable material, which, however, is substantially inelastic so as to prevent material yielding. The straps are of any desired number and are and form one of the members of the fastening. The opposing member of the fastening consists of a buckle 16 which is secured to the free edge of the portion 13, a buckle being provided for each strap 15, and properly positioned relative to its. strap, so that the pulling pressure exerted during the fastening of the corset, extends directly across the front, thereby making the application of pressure on the body entirely around the corset on the plane of the strap and buckle. To provide a receptacle for the endsof the straps 15 I attach a strip 17 over the seam carried by the I buckle member or portion 13, the attaching being so arranged as to provide ockets or recesses beneath said strip 17 and etween it and the outer face of the corset, thereby preventing the liability of the presence of a number of loose ends of straps in promiscuous positions in the front of the corset.

By reason of this construction the pressure of the corset can be controllably regulated throughout the length of its front. And by a manipulation of the straps of different planes, any desired shape may be given to the body, which shape, owing to the absence of substantial yieldability, is retained while the'fastenings are retained in their adjusted positions. Obviously, the change in posi tion of any of the buckles on its strap will affect the pressure on the plane of that particular strap, and hence, if the wearer at any time, desires to release the pressure on any particular portion of the body, the release can be obtained by such manipulation of the proper strap and buckle, the change in position being to a greater or less distance, as desired, a slight change permitting of such release without materially changing the form which it is desired the body should retain. The portions 12 and 13 may be provided with stocking supporters 19, as shown in Fig. 1, the presence of the supporters tending to retain the parts in position.

While the body of the corset may be that usually em loyed, such body portion may be formed wit out stays, thereby providing a neglige corset, in the use of which, the wearer may still produce the desired form by a proper manipulation of the several fastenings.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is i 1. A corset having its front formed of overlapping flexible portions, and separable fastening members fixedly connected to the corset and extending over said front, one of the members of each set of fastenings being attached. to the free edge of one of the flexible portions, the coacting member being secured to the corset at the point of connection of the opposing flexible portion and the corset, said members being adjustable to vary the distance between their securing oints.

2. A corset having flexib e portions secured to each of its front edges, said portions being adapted to overlap, adjustable fastening members adapted to join across the front opening of the corset, one member of each set of fastenings being secured to the free edge of one of the flexible portions and the coacting member being secured to the corset body along the line of attachment of the other flexible portion, and means for temporarily retaining the free ends of said coacting fastening members when the fastenings are connected.

3. A corset having flexible portions secured to each of its front edges, said portions being adapted to overlap across the front opening of the corset, independently adjusta le fastening members adapted to join across said front opening, one member of each set of fastenings being secured to the free edge of one flexible portion and the coacting member being secured to the corset body and extending outside the other flexible Signed at New York in the county of New portion, and a strip secured at a plurality of York and State of New York this 5th day of points along the junction of the corset body August A. D. 1907.

and one flexible portion to provide openings Y JOSEPH COHEN. 5 to removably retain the free ends of said 00- l/Vitnesses:

acting fastening members when the fastening EMANUEL STRAUSS,

members are connected. CHAS. H. FARBSTEIN. 

